[aclug-L] Re: Freelance Technical Support

[Carl D Cravens <raven@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003, ironrose wrote:

> I did phone support for 2+ years with CCH and 3 years with National
> Computer.  The problem with doing techsupport is getting paid.  CCH and
> National computer didn't charge for their techsupport.  M$ has a way of
> dealing with getting paid by asking for payment with a credit cards.

I've been thinking about this freelance support thing for awhile, and I'm
thinking that if I went that route, I'd refuse to fix anything over the
phone unless it's really trivial.  I hate not being able to sit down at
the keyboard and do my thing.  I'm sure I'd develop a good relationship
with certain customers and deal with them on a case-by-case basis, but my
experience with just friends and family is that allowing anyone to get in
the habit of thinking they can just call you up anytime and get some help
leads to total frustration.

I did phone support for SouthWind, and I just hate trying to work through
a problem on the phone.  Even here at Boeing, I'll hang up and walk down
the hall or even drive to another building for anything that isn't
trivial.

>  Sometimes you get calls like--I want you to walk me through setting up
> my network or creating my first web page.  How do you want to handle the
> RTFM issues?

I'd say the first key is to know what FM to R.  Be ready to recommend a
good book on the subject.  But if the customer really doesn't want to
read, who am I to refuse a good $60 an hour to watch over the shoulder and
teach them how to do it? :)  It all pays the same, and I'd rather be
teaching people how to do something than fixing problems anyway.

--
Carl D Cravens (raven@xxxxxxxxxxx)
A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.
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